RESULTS: ISS Canary Wharf Squash Classic, London, England
1st round (lower half of draw):
[7] Alister Walker (ENG) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 11-3, 6-11, 12-10, 11-4
(47m)
[4] Peter Barker (ENG) bt Adrian Waller (ENG) 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 (37m)
[5] David Palmer (AUS) bt [Q] Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 11-2, 7-11, 12-10,
11-5 (61m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [Q] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 11-7, 11-3, 11-2
(30m)
Victories by Alister Walker and Peter Barker on the second day of first
round action in the ISS Canary Wharf Squash Classic will lead to five
Englishmen competing in the quarter-finals of the $52,500 PSA World Tour event
being staged at the spectacular East Wintergarden venue in London? and the
certainty of home interest in both semi-finals on Thursday.
Alister Walker, the world No12 from Leeds, booked a place in the
quarter-finals by beating English rival Tom Richards. The seventh seed won a
hard-fought first round encounter 11-3, 6-11, 12-10, 11-4 in 47 minutes.
A shock semi-finalist at Canary Wharf two years ago, Walker finished as
strongly as he started, playing tight, aggressive squash. Rising star
Richards, ranked 33 in the world, had a purple patch in the middle of the match,
winning the second game with some deft drop shots and battling all the way
through the third until Walker won the tie-break on a hotly-disputed penalty
stroke.
Walker will meet England team-mate Peter Barker in the quarter-finals
after the No4 seed subdued Adrian Waller in an all-London derby clash.
Barker was in control throughout the match, winning 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 in 37
minutes.
The Islington-based world No7, who has struggled to hit peak form this
year despite his rise up the rankings, is determined to do well in front of
his home crowd this week.
"I had an injury in training at the start of the year and that put me
back," explained 26-year-old Barker. "But maybe that disappointment helped me
to refocus on my game.
"There are so many good young English players coming through that I feel
like an old man at 26!?
After claiming his place in the last eight, French star Gregory Gaultier
revealed that he had to take a break from the game to cope with the enormous
emotional stress he suffered after reaching the world No1 spot last year.
The number two seed from Aix-en-Provence eased past Swiss qualifier
Nicolas Mueller, winning 11-7, 11-3, 11-7 in just 30 minutes.
He then admitted that he had taken a rest from the game to deal with the
psychological impact on his life after taking over at the top of the
rankings in November.
"It all got to me and I needed to take a break. I was No2 for so long and
it was hard work doing all that chasing. The pressure just built up.
"But I have been training hard for three weeks and I am now very happy
with my life. I travel the world and play in different countries all the
time. I am 27 now and want to continue playing for many years to come, and I
want to enjoy it."
Gaultier faces defending champion David Palmer in the quarter-finals after
the Australian overcame fellow veteran Davide Bianchetti in a tempestuous
battle.
With the match poised at one game all, the crucial third game was an
intense affair, with constant physical contact resulting in explosive verbal
confrontations with referee John Massarella. Italian Bianchetti twice opened
the court door to rant at the official after decisions had gone against
him.
It was pure theatre and the sell-out crowd at Canary Wharf's East
Wintergarden venue loved it.
Palmer won the game 12-10 and encountered little resistance as he powered
home in the fourth, clinching victory 11-2, 7-11, 12-10, 11-5 with a
spectacular volley kill into the front right corner.
The Australian's triumph sets up a repeat of last year's semi-final with
Gaultier, which Palmer won with a magnificent fightback from two games down
before going on to win the tournament.
Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Nick Matthew (ENG) v [6] Thierry Lincou (FRA)
[3] James Willstrop (ENG) v [8] Daryl Selby (ENG)
[4] Peter Barker (ENG) v [7] Alister Walker (ENG)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [5] David Palmer (AUS)
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